The Drive Home III: Epilogue – Driving the Future

Twenty-four-year-old Michael Ciesielski had never driven a classic car in his life–until he jumped in a 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville and drove over 2,400 miles from Florida to Detroit in the middle of winter.

Mike is barely into six months on the marketing team for Kettering University (formerly known as the GM Institute in Flint) and had been assigned by the university to pilot its cherished Cadillac, endowed to the school by a longtime, popular chemistry professor named Reg Bell.

Professor Bell was one of those transformative figures who embodied the spirit of the college responsible for training generations of America’s transportation business leaders and engineers. For a university heavy on science and technology education, but devoid of sports teams, this particular Cadillac is both an iconic mascot and treasured university asset.

Mike only planned to join The Drive Home III for a couple of days, but ended up staying for the duration of the 10-day trip. Smart, soft-spoken, and polite, he is the kind of guy you want to have representing this effort. His endearing qualities and newfound appreciation for the winged-wonder earned him the nickname “The Cadillac Kid” from his Drive Home teammates.

Michael Ciesielski (left) and Kip Darcy fix the Cadillac’s window.

Kip Darcy, vice-president of Marketing, Communications and Enrollment for Kettering drove a leg of the trip as well. Kip collects full-size GM cars from the 1960s and 1970s, and is a student himself, pursuing a doctorate in urban planning with an emphasis on autonomous vehicle transportation infrastructure. It’s good to know that whatever the future of transportation looks like, classic-car enthusiasts will have one of their own helping to design the grid.

It was Kip’s idea to ply the Cadillac into service for the university’s marketing efforts and their desire to attract passionate automotive students to the university’s STEM programs. It worked; the car’s participation in the Drive Home III effectively raised the school’s awareness and partnered Kettering with two leading car-insurance companies, the country’s largest car museum, a premier concours, an internationally recognized preservation facility, and the world’s greatest auto show. Not bad for 10 days work.

This is the real success story of the Drive Home III–that these diverse institutions banded together and pooled their talents for their mutual success in the preservation and promotion of America’s automotive heritage. At the cusp of a historic turning point in the evolution of transportation, it’s imperative to have a voice in what mobility looks like in the future, to train tomorrow’s restoration craftsmen, and inspire and engage the enthusiasts of the next generation.

“This is the moment,” said Keith Flickinger, director of the NB Center for American Automotive Heritage. “Not in 10 years. Now.”

Small acts of teamwork of the road translate into real-world partnerships. Here, The Creative Workshop cuts spare keys for the Kettering/Concours of America Cadillac as a safety precaution on The Drive Home III.

Which is why the theme for this year’s event, “Driving the Future,” succeeded beyond all expectations. It demonstrated that people–even from competing companies–can come together over their shared passions for the greater good of the classic-car hobby. By bringing the message to the doorstep of the world’s automakers each January in Detroit, the Drive Home project and America’s Automotive Trust aspire to be the voice of America’s passion for the automobile.

Only that voice will be elevated to a constant drumbeat, as AAT has plans to open a Detroit-based office in early 2018. AAT will be partnering with a company (yet to be publicly announced by press time) who understands the importance of Detroit’s heritage locally, and its impact on the world. “It needs to be in Detroit. I’ve always believed it belonged there,” said AAT Vice-Chairman David Madeira, who announced the move at the end of the Drive Home III at the Cobo Center.

Each January, as The Drive Home team rides down a resurgent Woodward Avenue to the Cobo Center, we see a new landscape popping up in the Motor City. America’s Automotive Trust wants to ensure our enthusiast cars are a part of that landscape.

Michael “The Cadillac Kid” Ciesielski could be a builder of that future landscape, through Kettering University and beyond. The memories of new friends, iconic cars, and the open road will be with him for a lifetime, and hopefully become a prism he sees the world through as the newest member of our classic-car fraternity.

Jamessays:

January 16, 2018 9:36 am

Another great read. I am so trying to steer my son who is interested in engineering and my classic cars to look into this type of college education. It has been said that there is a real “graying” of the classic car hobby and this is the type of event that gets the younger generations interested.

January 16, 2018 11:35 am

DrDsays:

January 16, 2018 11:47 am

Larry Lydonsays:

January 16, 2018 11:53 am

I concure, ICEMAN. As someone who fondly remembers driving a ’71 BMW around snowy hills and curves in NW NJ and the Poconos of eastern PA, with plenty to do with my hands, feet, eyes and ears, I think many young drivers today reach for the “enfortainment” features of their cars because piloting 1 and a half tons of steel at a mile per minute bores them. And before long, they’ll be reduced to watching the scenery go by as Google does the driving for them. So I applaud any opportunity for becoming reacquainted with the challenges of actual driving.

Maestro1says:

January 16, 2018 2:03 pm

Thanks for this great read. The event is terrific, I wish I could join but location age and health do not permit it, and I’m thrilled that you have a young man’s participation. Looking forward to the next run!

Ray Chartrandsays:

January 16, 2018 2:49 pm

Yes, youth when enthused can do great things. The Lincoln brand for years were following its clients to the grave, until the LS was born. Those who knew of the design strategy were avid about this car & we formed a national car club. We caravaned from California & the east coast to Dearborn to visit the factory where the car was built (Wixom) Ford treated us to a factory tour. – a huge stretch as the GT & T Bird were under wraps there during our tour. They opened their Romeo proving grounds to us as well. We rented a race course & went racing with them. They blew up a prototype in the process but we had a blast.
Unfortunately the car was ultimately marketed as a mini town car to the same graying clientele & faded into the sunset after a 6 year run. Many folks on both sides of the table learned a lot from this adventure

Rick Ssays:

January 16, 2018 3:51 pm

Great story. I really like reading about cars being used and not just sitting in garages or museums. While I have not read every word and comments on each report I can only assume the cars from LeMay in Tacoma were shipped to Florida and will be shipped back from Detroit? Or?

My old car disease started in 1961 with a Model A Ford roadster. Have probably put over 100,000 miles on tours and family vacations in various old cars since. One car alone, a 1939 Packard, I drove 56,000 miles over a 17 year period. Biggest trip was 12,000 miles across USA from the west coast to New York city. Then north along the east coast to Newfoundland and back across Canada. Never a serious break down. Had the car shipped to Europe and traveled through 9 countries there including Russia in 1988-89.

Really enjoy reading HEMMINGS DAILY. Never ceases to amaze me how Kurt, Daniel and the other writers come up with so many interesting articles non stop. Keep up the great job.

John Sandersonsays:

January 16, 2018 4:20 pm

Nice job! The only thing better is to take some handbuilt from scratch cars like street rods, rather than a museum piece that hasn’t had loving hands to actually make it come to life.

BTW, quit calling these cars, or anything like them, or better yet anything, a “classic” car. They just aren’t, no matter how much fun or provenance they are. It is just annoying to see such verbiage used by people that should know better.

Ron Melville, New Zesays:

January 16, 2018 7:00 pm

Well done Michael participating in this event and driving a classic Caddy – a ’59 at that! Good to see a younger generation taking an interest in old cars. Our youngest member is 22 and owns/drives a ’65 Caddy. He loves old cars! Ron Melville, Cadillac LaSalle club of NZ

Michaelsays:

January 22, 2018 4:36 pm

Hi Ron,

Michael here… that is amazing you have a 22 year old in your Cadillac LaSalle club in NZ! This was truly an amazing event and to go from driving my daily car (Chevy Cruze) to the ’59 Caddy was an experience like none other.

We really do need to get more younger people (especially my generation) behind the wheels of some of the older cars that don’t have cruise control and bluetooth.

January 17, 2018 9:39 am

Ron Melville, New Zesays:

January 22, 2018 9:35 pm

Thanks for your reply Michael. Yes attracting younger folk is a global problem. Not sure what the solution is. Maybe all the old cars need to be ‘moth-balled’ until the young-uns are old enough to appreciate and enjoy them!